This chapter we catch up with Cece, a prelude to next chapters real first date. Please leave a review if you can, I value feedback.
As Jessica quickly drove to Cece's apartment, her mind was swimming; continually replaying the events of last night. She had tried to call Cece earlier that morning but there was no answer, not like her best friend at all. So she decided to go to her and make sure she was okay. Although she seemed relieved, happy almost at her decision to stop the ceremony, Jess knew that these things were not simple and she needed to help her friend sort out this mess.
Arriving at the tall, bland apartment building that Cece called home, Jess quickly darted inside and decided to take the stairs, too impatient to wait for the elevator. As she approached the door of Cece's apartment she heard the sound of multiple voices talking over one another. As the door was slightly ajar, Jess slowly pushed it open, anxious as to what scene would confront her.
The living room of Cece's apartment was filled with people. Jess had not even realised you could fit so many in such a small space. In one corner, 4 of her aunts and her mother were engaged in an animated discussion – the aunts appeared to be consoling Cece's mother. Several small children zoomed around the room, playing tag, whilst other small groups of people littered the room, engaged in deep conversation. On the Sofa Uncle Shashir was talking on his telephone very loudly in Hindi, making completely unnecessary gestures with his arms as he spoke. Drama queen, Jess thought, he's probably loving this. Beside him sat Cece's room mate Nadia. Her pencil thin legs crossed and her foot tapping as she disinterestedly flicked through a magazine.
Slipping into the room, Jess made a beeline for Nadia. "Monkey girl," said Nadia noticing her approach, "You must do something. They make headache for me."
"Where is she?" whispered Jess, still irked by the nickname Nadia had chosen for her.
"Oh, run way bride is in room. She stop wedding because of Jew. Very funny."
Ignoring Nadia's ignorant comments, she headed straight to Cece's bedroom and knocked on the door.
"Go away Aunt Melina! I am not coming out until you are all gone!"
"Cece, it's me, Jess, let me in." On the other side of the door she heard quick padded footsteps and the twist of a lock. Cece opened the door a fraction, checking it really was Jess, before pulling her inside and quickly re-locking the door behind her.
Jess looked around the room. Cece's wedding sari lay haphazardly over a chair in the corner. The items of jewellery she had worn were scattered around the floor. He bed was rumpled and unmade. Cece looked tired, her hair was messy and the remains of her make up still lined her eyes. But she still looked gorgeous; it was occasionally annoying having such a stunning best friend.
"I tried to call you…" Jess began.
"My phone is in the kitchen, I've not left this room since last night," Cece apologised.
Walking over to join her on the bed, Jess took hold of her best friend's hand. "How are you holding up? I saw all the chaos outside…"
"Oh I can't stand it. They just won't leave, they feel the need to talk over every single detail and I feel so guilty… I should never have let it go this far Jess. I've let so many people down. As they have reminded me about 20 times in the last 12 hours". Cece sighed and ran her hands through her thick, dark hair.
"But you made the right decision, right?" Jess was concerned; Cece had been so positive when they last spoke.
"Of course, like I said I should not have even let it get to that point, but it would have been a huge mistake. I didn't love him, to be honest I hardly knew him. "
"Well that's good," Jess replied feeling reassured, "Look these guys need to leave soon – aren't most of their flights later today?" Cece nodded. "Great, so hide out here for the rest of the morning and starting tomorrow we can begin to move on from this…"
"Disaster?" Cece suggested.
"I was going to say mess but that works too," Jess replied giving Cece a warm smile. She pulled her friend into hug and whispered in her ear, "I got your back; you're my oldest and best friend in the world."
"Thanks Jess, it means a lot. I guess I've made myself this whole crazy situation. I can't believe I hadn't realised I still loved Schmidt. I mean, he is totally wrong for me. I find him at times ridiculous and other times annoying. But I still want him. I just can't shake it."
"Well he clearly has something going on. You've got yourself a classic little love triangle here my friend."
Cece groaned and lay back on her bed. "I know, I feel like such a bitch. Elizabeth seems like a nice girl. But I can't help how I feel." Cece shifted so she was lying on her side facing Jess. "You know after I last saw you, Elizabeth told him he had to choose. Guess what he did. He ran away."
"I can see him doing that, he gets weird around women. I think it's something to do with him being brought up by a single mom." Jess paused and pulled her legs onto the bed, sitting cross legged, "So what are you going to do? I mean you basically admitted you loved him in front of a group of your nearest and dearest…"
"I don't know Jess, I wasn't really thinking. Elizabeth was right, he needs decide. I've made my feelings clear… To be honest I don't know what else to do."
Jess gave Cece a sympathetic smile. She hated seeing her friend like this. At least she knew this was the best, Cece had told her so at the wedding. At least she wasn't compromising herself. Jess was adamant that people should not have to change to be with some else and a marriage with Shivrang could not have had any other consequence.
"Anyway, enough about me and my amateur dramatics. What happened to you last night? I tried to find you after Schmidt did his disappearing act."
At that question, a soft smile began to dance at the corner or Jess's lips before it emerged into a full blown beam.
"Nick?" Cece asked simply. In reply, Jess buried her head in her hands and flopped over onto her side, small giggles escaping from beneath her fingers. With that Cece quickly moved over to Jess and tried to pry the hands away from Jess's face.
"Spill!" Cece demanded. Gradually composing herself Jess began to sit up again – she hadn't giggled like this since she was a chubby teenager, daydreaming about the president of the chess club.
"We slept together. Again."
"Annnddd?" Cece demanded, "Detail!"
With a deep breath Jessica filled in Cece on the details of her experience with Nick from the conversation in the tunnels to the kiss outside the hotel and the events that followed after the apartment.
"So how was it?"
"Amazing. Fantastic. I was very surprised. The first time was not a fluke."
"I would so not have called Nick as a stud, but I guess it's always the ones you least expect." Cece finished with raised eyebrows.
"Cece, I've not felt like this in a long time. Maybe ever. I'm really confused as to what's going on."
"Have you guys talked about it?"
Jess shook her head, "Still not had a chance, I had to see dad off this morning and then I came straight here to check on you. I have no idea what he is thinking."
"Jess, he initiated all this. You've slept together twice; he's clearly concerned he is not good enough for you. I think he has it bad. And I don't blame him." Cece flashed Jess a quick smile, "You know my best friend is the most awesome woman this side of downtown."
"I guess…I'm just used to guys telling me how they feel, not having to figure it out from their actions."
"Words are overrated. I told you ages ago he was into you. I just figured he'd never get the balls to do anything about it. I'm glad he did, because it seems to be making you happy. You are happy right?"
"Oh at the minute I could burst!" Jess exclaimed clenching her fists together, "I just want to take this slow, I don't want to over think things and I don't want to scare Nick. We need to figure out whatever this is one step at a time."
"That sounds like a plan," Cece replied with a twinkle in her eye. She had a feeling taking it slow wouldn't last very long.
She came home later that afternoon (after ensuring Cece's apartment was free of relatives) to find Winston asleep on the sofa, still in his wedding suit, one upper arm swathed in bandages and the National Geographic channel playing on the TV. Looks like someone else had a wild night too, Jess thought. Walking over to him, she took the remote control out of his hand and turned off the TV. The quiet that began to fill the loft was heaven, the clattering of the voices of Cece's family still filled her head. She walked over to Nick's door and saw it was ajar. His room was empty but it appeared he had made his bed and she saw a pile of freshly cleaned laundry on the end of the bed. Hmmm, she thought, interesting. Nick must have headed to a shift at the bar she guessed.
A sudden wave of tiredness overcame her body as she stifled a yawn. She realised she had actually hardly slept the last few nights and it was beginning to take its toll. She turned the door handle of her own room and wearily stepped iside, swiftly removing her red cotton sun dress and selecting a favourite comfy pyjama set from her pink chest of drawers. As she turned to her bed, she was surprised to see a piece of paper and a flower waiting for her.
Curious Jessica picked up the flower and breathed in its sweet scent. A daisy, her favourite. She turned over the piece of paper and instantly recognised Nick's distinctive scrawl.
Jessica,
I think we have established I am not always the greatest with words, so I've decided to write you a note rather than mess up (again).
I think you are an amazing, beautiful woman and I would be honoured if you would agree to go on a date with me tomorrow night.
Please RSVP to the room across the hall.
Yours,
Nick x
Jess was torn between laughter at Nick's admission of his poor speaking skills and surprise at the way he had written about her. Quickly, she grabbed a sheet of writing paper and a pen and began to compose her brief reply.